Seeking Adventure
by Cadet Jeevas
Summary: Antoinette, a young French girl, is sick of her monotonous life. One night in despair she prays to God that an angel will save her. However, who she is given is no angel and the adventure she is graced with is no walk in the park. Nonetheless, she takes it in stride... or tries to, at least. Will Antoinette say have to say goodbye to her old life or find balance in both?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1. l' aventure**

"If ever there were an angel in this world, I need you," I prayed near my bedside, knees folded, sitting on my meditation pillow. "I've tried everything, God. I've no friends, seldom family, and I hate my job. I used to have dreams. Dreams where I'd become something and make something of my life. But, now they've all left. I know angels do not dwell often in my realm, but please, please, I'm begging you. For something, anything. I need you. I fear my sanity will not last much longer. I fear…."

I stopped, breaking down in sobs, as I shriveled into myself, clutching my sides for dear life. The anxiety taking over my brain, an attack on the horizon. Me vs. my broken brain. Me vs. the crippling anxiety, depression, amongst other things.

I grew up mildly unhappy, but I was content. I was content with seldom – well, seldom friends and family who cared for me. I had plenty toys; I always had shelter and food and clean water. And thus, I seldom complained. Yes, depressed as I was, I was grateful. Always grateful.

I also always had my mother. As much as her constant fretting over me during my adolescence drove me towards insanity, I always had her. No father in the picture, not since I was a babe, anyhow, but I always thought it better that way. Just me, my mother, and my three best friends against the world. And it was enough, at least for a while.

However, as my mental health decayed and my employers worsened, I lost the spark in my eye and the pep that guided my step and I became a shell of a person. I didn't quite know who I was anymore. I used to be so much. Nonetheless, I seldom let it show just how much I ached, just how much I questioned every little thing about life and myself. Just how much hope I'd lost. Because, I was still cool, calm, collected, fun Anne. At least, that's what my mother thought.

Carlotta – Carly for short – knew otherwise. She was my best friend. I confided everything in that girl. My other two friends, Julien and Roesia knew much, much less and I intended to keep it that way.

As the anxious feeling in my stomach subsided and I could feel the ground beneath my bum once more, I realized that my thoughts were coming back into reality and I opened my tearstained eyes. Before, I could stand up, I heard a knocking on my door.

I gasped out of shock and called out, "Hello?"

"Ma Cherie, dinner is prepared when you're ready; it'll be on a pot on the stove," Mother called to me through the closed door.

"Merci, mum," I let out a sigh after I heard her footsteps walk away.

_Please, angels…_

Normally I cooked for myself, but I guessed since I didn't have work today my mother decided to treat me with freezer-section baked lasagna, which I nearly groaned at. I was fortunate that my mother decided to cook for me and perhaps I'd love it if it weren't for the fact that since starting my latest job, my diet has become pasta dishes and bagels – oh, and fruits, but more the portable, cheap kind. Bananas, apples, you know. I reluctantly took a serving.

"Mum, I'm going to go eat on the patio if you need me," I said, grabbing a book and a fork on my way out.

"Alright, sweetheart."

_Les Fleurs du Mal_. Never read it, but my professor had told me it was a classic and that I should give it a chance. So, on my one day off work and school, I decided I would. Never was good in college, although, perhaps that's why I went to a local school instead of a university. Mother wanted me to apply to a uni in America or even England. She said that she wanted to see me achieve wonders and that my quaint little French town would hold me back. Maybe she was right. Perhaps Ars-en-Ré and it's bicyclists and sandy beaches held me back. Too many laid back tourists, not enough adventure or life. This was enough for most, but not for me. Although, neither was a formal education and travel without an education was much too pricy for a young nineteen year old.

Not two pages into my book and a bite into my supper and I heard a loud noise off into the distance. I thought nothing of it, not even bothering to peep up from my novel, until it continued; the noise became louder and closer and caused immense fear to flood my brain as I dropped my book into my lap and looked out. Bombs. A bombing.

"MOTHER!" I screamed as I ran inside the house. "We're being invaded by terrorists! The news was right! It's happening!"

I was frantic, trying to find my mother. I had no clue where the hell I was supposed to go or where the hell my mother even was.

"Mum!"

Not being able to find her, I took a risk and ran outside wondering if she'd gone to search for local authorities for insight on what to do. Paris was the danger zone, not my little beach town. We should be safe. We _had_ to be safe. That's why we refused to live in the city. It wasn't the city of love; it was the city of robbery and terror, at least for locals.

"Miss, what are you doing outside when the sky's falling?" The tongue spoke French however the voice was of a Londoner; if my brain hadn't been frazzled I would've been perplexed by how crisp his dialect was.

"Trying to find my mum," My eyes were beginning to fail me as the anxiety coursed my blood. I knew I was growing faint; I wouldn't last long at this rate.

"You should be inside," He looked like he was focusing…. hard. I didn't know on what or why but he was staring intensely into a… glowing screwdriver? It radiated an odd blue light that my frazzled mind fixated on. "Miss, are you alright?"

That was the last coherent thing I heard; the rest was washed away by screaming; although, I couldn't tell you if it were mine of a terror struck citizen's.

…

"How do you suppose the daleks are creating all this chaos?" My mind picked up the voice of a bold, female Londoner… or was she Welsh? My head was dazed as I slowly came to. "And why here?"

"They must want something."

"Like what?"

"I'm going to find out. You watch over her; I'll check her head wounds when she awakens. I'll be back."

A door slammed and I sat up in a fright.

"Where am I?"

I blinked a few times, clearing my vision. I was inside what looked like a large metal prison cell. The walls extended much too high and the room seemed never ending. I felt claustrophobic even though I had plenty of free space around me. After a few moments of looking around, I saw a female. Blonde, young, pretty; probably the one I heard earlier.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Rose and you're inside the TARDIS," She spoke, her cockney accent sounding weird as she attempted to pronounce words in my tongue. Although, I'd have to give it to her, the few words I had heard thus far, while the pronunciation was atrocious, the grammar was spot on; better than mine, even.

"The what?" I asked, standing up, eyes leveled with her. We were around the same height. I assumed her to be perhaps an inch taller than me, if even.

"Sorry, hard to explain without The Doctor around," She shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "What's your name?"

"Antoinette," I said, my heart still racing. "Are we… safe? From the explosions, I mean."

"In here, yes," She said, afterwards mumbling, "I think."

"Then that's all that matters for now," I said, sitting crisscrossed on the floor beneath me, trying to control my breathing_. This was not what I meant by adventure. I take it back, angels. I'm meant for a simple life with simple people and a doting mother. **MOTHER**_. "My mum's out there!" I stood up, running towards what looked like the door. It was, and I pushed it open; it was heavy but after a second it finally began to open.

"No, Antoinette, don't!" Rose called out. I could hear her footsteps already approaching me, but I didn't care. All I cared about was finding my mother.

I stepped out of the building I was in, not looking back, and took off running. I knew what street I was on. It wasn't far from my apartment. It wasn't far from where I'd passed out.

"Mum!" I shouted as I approached the apartments. There was still smoke in the sky but I hadn't heard anything blast off since leaving that odd metal room, so I felt a bit more assured. "Shit."

I stopped dead in my tracks. My apartment complex had been blown up. It was all rubble and dirt. I fell to my knees, tears watered in my eyes. It didn't take long before I'd given up hope, sobbing hysterically.

"You, female of Earth," an odd voice rang in my ears. I thought I was hallucinating until I looked up to see a large metal robot with no feet and a metal arm where his face would be as well as for an arm.

I nearly screamed as I noticed more approaching me.

"Rise, human," Their voices were robot, in sync, and absolutely terrifying.

I rose quickly, my heart beats uneven.

"Y-yes?" I asked in the clearest voice I could muster.

"Come with us." They all took off in one direction, some behind me as I followed them, unsure of what other options I had as I just watched my whole life and everything I lived for become dust.

They led me for what felt like hours to a warehouse. I knew this place. It was the old boat warehouse where mariners would store their possessions in the winter months. It looked completely untouched even as ash fell from the sky.

"Why did you take me here?" I asked once we were inside with the door shut.

"Necklace."

The unison metallic voice was absolutely chilling. One of the worst sounds I'd ever heard in my life. One of the worst feelings I'd ever felt. Worse than watching my grandfather's corpse be buried underground.

"Give. Us. The. Necklace."

I grabbed the necklace looped around my neck, fear in my eyes. They could ask me for my leg and cut it off right in front of me and I'd be horrified but alright but my necklace was my grandmother's necklace. Made from a shard from some old diamond. She said it was passed along through generations and I'd be damned if I saw it go before I could pass it to my future child. But, at the same time, I didn't want to die, and I didn't know what to do. Before I could respond, the warehouse door opened and light flooded the dark building.

It was the mystery man. The mystery man from the metal building. The mystery man from outside my flat.

"I knew the signal was tracked here," He grinned, looking at me. "Oh, hello again. I'm glad you're awake now. But, I told Rose to keep you safe."

"I-I ran off," I explained, frazzled. "To find my mother."

He gave me an understanding look before turning to the robot monsters.

"What is your fascination with this girl?" The man asked, walking towards the robots who surrounded me.

"Diamond. Necklace. Fuel."

"Oh, so no _exterminate_?" The man inquired, smirking as if any part of this situation was funny.

"Why do they want my grannie's necklace?" I cried.

He gave me a weird look and stepped towards me, through the robots and grabbed my diamond charm between his hands, studying it.

"Who _are_ you?" He asked, looking into my eyes. "This is part of the Koh-i-Noor."

I shrugged, "Grannie said it was a scrap from when some big diamond was cut. She said it's been passed on for a while."

"You're a descendent of the crown," He mumbled before turning to the robots surrounding us. "Why do you need the Koh-i-Noor for fuel?"

"Damaged Ship. Damaged Ship."

He looked at me and then looked at them, "And if we give you the diamond –"

I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands.

"If we give you this diamond," He continued once more. "Will you leave this planet?"

The robots were quiet.

"Exterminate." One spoke which started a chorus of 'Exterminates.'

"SILENCE, please," The man shouted, pulling out the glowing screwdriver from earlier. "I guess we'll have to handle this in a different manner, then." He looked at me momentarily, thoughtfully. "What was your name?"

"Antoinette," I said, confused.

"Nice to meet you, Antoinette. I'm the Doctor. And I'm going to need your help if we're to make it out alive."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2. ange**

Before my fear could heighten at the idea of aiding The Doctor in defeating the robots closing around us, the door to the warehouse opened and Rose stepped in.

"Where have you been?" The Doctor insisted.

"Oi, where have you been?" She retorted.

"This isn't the time for that, Rose. I need you to go up to the second level," He pointed to the ladder. I wondered what his plan was. How would we stop these robots from killing us and my world?

Rose began to run up the ladder.

"Once you're up there, look for the cooling duct and try to see if you can pry it open."

The cooling duct.

"Are you trying to freeze these machines to death?" I inquired, trying to strategize how that would even work.

He smirked, "They're called Daleks and yes, precisely. If the room is too cool, their systems will freeze, ultimately paralyzing them while I figure out what to do with them."

All the while, The Daleks were yelling 'Exterminate.' As Rose was finally up the ladder, one of the Daleks shot something in her direction; she barely missed getting hit. This started a shooting frenzy, half of which were aimed at us and half at Rose.

"They won't hit you, Antoinette. Because they need your diamond," The Doctor explained. "You'll have to do it while I fight them off." He turned to Rose's direction, shouting, "Rose, change of plans, come back down. Try to find a stick or something to poke these buggers' eyes out with."

"What good'll that do?" She insisted.

Fear shivering through my bones, I darted towards the ladder whilst the Daleks seemed entranced by their bickering. I found my way to the cooling duct, prying it open as Rose ran past me, going down to the main level of the warehouse, a metal rod in her hand.

"Okay, what now?" I shouted.

"Just leave it open. Rose, Antoinette, get out of here. Find the Tardis and stay put. I'll take care of this."

I slid down the ladder, running out with Rose. The sky was beginning to clear up now and people were coming outside again. Nonetheless, we ran from the building as fast as we could until we reached a blue metal box.

"Is this?" I began.

"Yeah this is what you were inside earlier," She said.

"Wow," I breathed as we entered again. "This is beautiful…. Do you think The Doctor will be alright? Is this normal for him to come in and save people?"

"Yes and yes," She said. "If he needed us, he probably would've told us to stay. I don't know what his plan is but I know he has one."

"I need to find my mother," I said.

"Wait for him to return," She insisted and I did, even though I didn't want to.

It didn't take him long to return. His face was free of stress, however he wasn't smiling.

"What did you do?" Rose asked.

"The cooling ducts rendered them immobile," He explained. "They and the warehouse are now destroyed. Nobody was around. I had no other choice but to create a fire, Rose."

I beamed, "That's okay; the mariners don't keep their supplies in the warehouse in the spring, so nothing was destroyed besides an old crumbling building."

"Do the French always look at the bright side of things?" The Doctor inquired, smirking.

"Well, when we've survived death, I suppose," I grinned. Surviving death kind of made me feel… alive again. As if my brain received a huge hit of dopamine that refused to fade. "Speaking of which… my mother…"

I ran out of the Tardis again, except this time I could hear The Doctor and Rose keeping up with me. We were a street or two away from my apartment. My apartment. I had just remembered that it burned down. Seeing it crumbled again brought me back into reality and my positivity faded.

"Mum!" I yelled, standing outside of the complex. "Where are you?"

I turned to the two of them who had pale faces and apologetic looks.

"She might be somewhere looking for you," Rose said, trying to be hopeful.

"She's all I have," I could feel a tear trying to fall down my cheek, but I wiped it away before it could.

"Anne," I heard her voice from behind me. "I've been looking all over for you. Whatever war was on seems to have subsided now. I'm glad you're safe."

I turned around and hugged her as tight as I could, "I thought you were dead."

"I thought you were dead," She insisted, squeezing back. We let go of each other. "Who are they?"

"Um, this is Rose and The Doctor," I shrugged. "They kind of saved me from dying."

Her eyes widened, "Oh, heavens, thank you, kind strangers. Although, I wouldn't regard you as strangers after this. She's all I have, you see. I'd invite you in for tea, but…" She turned up to our home, sighing. "We'll have to find somewhere else first. I suppose we could live with my sister for a while, but she's all the way in Paris. That's so far without any means of transport."

The Doctor grinned, "I could um, transport you there. Pretty quickly, in fact. Free of charge."

"Oh, heavens, I wouldn't want to impose," My mother insisted.

"Nonsense," He waved off. "Come along, you lot. Ah Paris, haven't been there in a good hundred years or so."

My mother and I exchanged confused looks but Rose just chuckled. We followed him until we arrived outside the Tardis.

"Is this a mobile machine, Doctor?" I inquired, confused.

"You could say that, although it does a bit more than that."

"It's so small, though," Mother insisted, chuckling nervously.

"Actually, mum, it's," I started to say, but we were already entering.

She gasped, "Oh, heavens, this is…"

"Crazy," I offered at the same time that the Doctor said: "Fantastic."

"Are you some sort of alien?" She asked.

"You could say that, yes," The Doctor admitted.

"If I hadn't seen all I had today, I wouldn't believe you, Doctor, but I have a question," I said.

"Hmm?"

"Doctor who? You can't just be the Doctor?" I said.

"Oh, but he can," Rose chuckled.

The Doctor ran over to the center console, "Paris it is!"

…

Sure enough after a weird stir in the machine and a few minutes, we were in the heart of Paris. My mother looked like she might faint. I told her that I remembered which street our aunt's house was down and that I'd meet her there in a few minutes and she was content enough with that, although I could see the weariness in her eyes.

"Doctor, you said that my necklace is the Koh-i-Noor? But, how can that be?" I asked.

"It's not the Koh-i-Noor," He said and I sighed. "But it is a fragment of it. The King had Queen Victoria constantly cut the diamond, insisting that its beauty wasn't enough. I suppose he must've kept the rubbish pieces and the Queen passed them off to her offsprings."

"So that means I'm…." I couldn't dare finish myself.

"A descendent of the crown, but Doctor, how did she end up in a flat in France then?" Rose asked.

"That's a good question," The Doctor said. "Perhaps we'll never know. But, if it makes you feel any better, a normal life is better than a royal one."

"I grow weary of my normal life, though," I said, looking down at my feet.

"Then, perhaps," The Doctor began.

"What?" I asked, looking at them hesitantly.

"Maybe you'd like to come on an adventure with us?" Rose asked.

"When we landed here we were actually tracking something in space, but the Tardis became disoriented – thankfully, for your sake – but we really do need to get back," The Doctor said. "It might be dangerous, although it won't be a normal everyday thing. That's what you crave, right?"

"Well, minus the danger," I shrugged.

"Oh everything's dangerous. _Breathing_ is dangerous if you choke on the air," He insisted.

"But what about my mother?"

"What about her?"

"I can't just leave."

"Oh, we'll have you back in time on this very day for supper, trust," He said.

"I guess," I sighed, a bit nervous. These strangers saved me, they couldn't be dangerous. Would I be safe?

"Fantastic, alright you lot, into the Tardis," He shuffled us in and ran over to the console. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. vide**

"Are we safe?" I asked as the ship whirred, us following some space junk that The Doctor kept calling 'dangerous' and 'mauve.'

"Yes," He said too soon, because not two seconds after he'd said it, the console that Rose and The Doctor were positioned at sparked which resulted in Rose flying back in panic whilst I gasped behind them. "Okay, reasonably. Should've said reasonably there… No it's getting away from us!"

"What even is this thing?" I asked, regretting my decision to come with them.

"No idea."

"Then why have we been following it?" Rose asked.

I was trying to avoid having an anxiety attack by breathing deeply. It was at this point that I tuned them out and did my best to meditate. Meditation. The one thing my body was good for. I became very adept in meditation in middle school when I needed an escape and wasn't able to sleep.

Not twenty minutes later, Rose was shaking me out of my daze; we'd landed as I felt no more disturbances below me.

"You alright, Anne?" She asked. "I hope it wasn't too frightful."

I gave her a small smile, "Just adjusting, that's all. I was meditating."

"Meditating? You must be quite good at it to have lost an hour of time like that; we thought you'd gone into panic," The Doctor said.

"An hour? I thought it was only twenty minutes max," I said, almost laughing at the absurdity.

"Nope," He said. "A full hour. Any-who, off we go." He opened the Tardis door, letting us out first.

"Wow," I breathed. We weren't in Paris anymore.

"London, Anne," The Doctor said. "You aren't in your little French bungalow anymore. Now, it shouldn't be far. Perhaps a mile or two at most. Should only be a month late."

"A month? We were right behind it," Rose said.

Even though it was night, it was beautiful. London. _This is what London looks like. No, this **was** what London looked like in the…_

"Doctor?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"When are we?" I wondered.

"Good question," He pulled something out of his pocket as we approached a door.

"What's that for? Jotting down notes?" I asked, probably getting on his nerves inquiring so much. Although I imagined that Rose probably did the same during her first adventure with him. I wondered when that was… or were they together? Were they a time traveling couple? No, she seemed too human for that. But, they might've been together… who knew. I mean we were from the twenty first century; age gaps were nothing anymore it seemed. Rose looked young and naïve though, so I really did hope that they were just friends. She didn't look any older than me and if she was it couldn't have been more than a couple years… or months.

"Psychic paper," He explained. "It shows the viewer what I want them to see."

"I think you should do a scan for alien tech," Rose insisted. "Show me some Spock. For once would it kill you?"

"You sure about that t-shirt?" The Doctor asked, crouching with his screwdriver by the door. Damn he really liked that screwdriver.

"I like it," I said.

"Thanks, Anne," Rose beamed. "I was a little hesitant about it. I mean do you really think it goes with the jacket?"

"I can't think of a shirt that wouldn't, honestly. Black goes with everything," I said.

"That is _so_ true," Rose agreed.

It looked like The Doctor wanted to interject but before he could, there was a sound in the distance that caught Rose and my attention. Although it was a bit more than a sound; rather it was a voice and it felt like it was coming closer each time it spoke:

"_Mummy_."

The elongated way he drawled was eerie. Usually a child's voice feels endearing however this one felt so hollow, so _unnerving_. It echoed, bouncing off the buildings. Rose looked around, trying to locate the source of the noise.

The Doctor finally unlocked the door.

"Come on if you're coming; won't take but a minute," He said.

As much as I didn't want to leave Rose alone, I was more afraid of being outdoors than in, and I scampered off to find The Doctor who had already walked inside.

"Doctor, I heard a noise out there," I said as I caught up.

"Everyone hears noises, and besides, London at night; regardless of the time I'm sure there's some teenagers fooling around out there," He said.

"But, Rose heard it too," I started to say but stopped when I realized he probably didn't care and that it was probably nothing. I hoped Rose was alright.

Once the corridor came to a stop we found a beaded door and walked through it. Past it was what my dreams were made of. Beautiful women adorned in dresses and fancy jewelry smoking cigarettes and drinking wine and dapper men wearing well suited hats, smoking cigars and knocking down shots. But in a glamorous way, not in a frat boy way. It was all… stunning. And the woman singing. Wow. Just wow. I could live in a place like this.

"Doctor, I think I'm in heaven," I breathed.

"Really? I never would've taken you for someone who dabbles in elegance," He said, quietly.

"Oh, _rude_," I whispered, although my tone wasn't serious.

We listened to the woman finish her song; once she did The Doctor ran up to the microphone with an: "Excuse me."

Once the crowd settled down from applauding the wonderful woman, he settled in to speak. By this time the woman had made her way over to where I was and I grinned at her.

"You did amazing," I said and then closed my mouth shut when I realized she probably couldn't understand a word I was saying.

"Oh, thank you so much, sweetheart," She responded in perfectly fluid French with her cute London accent.

I was amazed. Everyone I'd encountered since meeting The Doctor and Rose knew French. It made me wonder if I'd hit my head hard and was dreaming. Well if it was a dream, whatever. I'd just enjoy the ride.

"Can I have everyone's attention? Just for a moment," The Doctor said into the mic. "It might seem like a stupid question, but has anything fallen from the sky recently?"

The crowd was silent for a good five seconds. Five seconds before they confused me and The Doctor by bursting into laughter. They thought he was kidding, but why? I mean it was an odd question, but still a valid one. Before I could think it over, sirens went off ahead of us and the whole lot of them went running out of the room, calling after one another to get to safety.

_No, don't tell me…._

"Doctor, Rose is still out there!" I grabbed his arm, pulling him off stage and we ran outside to find that Rose had left, probably off to find the culprit of the chilling call.

"Just once, would someone learn to not wander off?" The Doctor sighed.

Before we could go searching for her, I heard a phone ring. The Doctor picked up on this too, turning around to see that the Tardis' phone was ringing.

"Is it supposed to ring? Is that like your cell phone?" I asked.

"Not really," He said, walking over to it. I followed behind.

"Don't answer it," A woman from behind us said as The Doctor picked it up. Another Londoner speaking French. It was getting weird.

Startled, I turned around to see a young brunette in a trench coat. She looked exhausted, although I imagine with the war on she probably was. I couldn't believe that my adventure with The Doctor and Rose brought me to the damn blitz. Of all places, of all adventures. I felt like I wasn't dreaming and if I was it was a nightmare.

"And why not?" The Doctor retorted.

"It's not for you," She insisted and by the look in her eye, I trusted her. She looked afraid of something, of someone. Although, perhaps everyone was afraid once sirens began going off. But, why was she outside then? Everyone else had retreated indoors or in bunkers, I'd imagine.

The Doctor began trying to bicker with her; I turned around to inspect the Tardis phone but when I looked back he was arguing with the air.

"Um, Doc, she's gone," I said. "Speaking of which, I'm confused."

"About what?"

"You speak French; Rose speaks French; the pretty woman who sang earlier spoke French and now the random girl in a coat giving us warnings. What gives? Am I dreaming?"

"Oh, the Tardis does wonders, she does," He said. "She gets inside your head and translates for you, as well as translates you for everyone else."

"Really now?" I asked, somewhat amazed.

"I'm glad you're happy about it," He said. "When I told Rose, she got annoyed with me that I didn't ask for her permission."

"What? I think it's incredible," I said. "I always loved weird sciencey things. How does it do it?"

"Now's not the time to explain, but later, alright? We need to find out what's going on in this city."

He turned to the phone, eyeing it curiously.

"Oh just answer it," I insisted, grabbing the phone and putting it up to his ear.

He took it from me with a hesitant, "Hello? This is The Doctor speaking. How may I help you?"

"Mummy?" I could hear the voice drawl, sending me into panic.

"Doctor, that's the voice Rose and I heard earlier," I said.

His eyes widened, "Who is this?"

"Are you my mummy?"

"Who's speaking?"

"Mummmy."

"How did you ring it? This isn't a real phone," He seemed frustrated, confused.

"Doctor, just put it down," I said. "It's some demon of some sort."

"Demons aren't real," He said but put the phone back.

"Oh, but aliens are?"

"_Oi_, watch your tone."

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, Doc."

"Rose?" He banged on the Tardis door. "Are you in there?"

A splash of water caught our attention. The Doctor set off jogging down the alley, I followed a foot behind. We stopped behind an alley, near a house, to the sound of a woman and man bickering, dragging along a young boy, running into a bunker. Not long after they disappeared, the woman from before appeared and scurried into the house.

"She's bloody brilliant," I sighed.

"You imagine she's getting food for the homeless kids?"

"Well, she's too skinny to be hoarding it all for herself," I smiled. "I want to actually talk to her."

"I think we'll need to; at least, about everything going on, so you'll get your chance," The Doctor said.

"I wonder what her name is," I said.

"What, you've got a crush on her already?" The Doctor joked.

I laughed, "Nah, no crushes here. Love isn't my forte."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"You always get burned in the end," I smiled at him. "Anyways, come on, I want to explore. Maybe a bomb would hit us."

"Just an hour ago you were an anxious mess, what's going on with you?" He chuckled.

I shrugged, "Well, I'm dreaming aren't I? Nothing can kill me."

He didn't respond but he followed me as I skipped around London during the damn London Blitz of all times. I was dreaming and it was terrifying and incredible.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4. vide II**

"Are you sure it's alright for us to just barge in? I mean, can't we just let them finish their meal first? Look at all those poor scared kids."

"They're braver than you'd imagine, Anne," The Doctor said. We stood at the front door, contemplating barging in. "Regardless of why they're here, they're still here. It's a tough time to live in. The Blitz really changed people, just like any war."

"I can't imagine. These poor kids," I sighed as The Doctor opened the back door. He put his finger up to his lips, silently shushing me and I did as he commanded. We walked into the dining room, unnoticed and sat down as the kids passed around the plate of meat.

Once the plate made its way into The Doctor's hands, he took two slices and said, "Thanks miss." Which alerted the children, making them gasp.

"Oh, it's alright, sit down," The woman said. "Back in your seats. They shouldn't be here either."

"Sorry," I said quietly. She gave me a sad, yet still disapproving, look, not even bothering to look at The Doctor.

Once everyone settled down again, The Doctor began: "So lot, what's the story?"

"What do you mean?" The boy seated next to The Doctor inquired.

"You're homeless, right? Living rough?"

"Why'd you want to know that? Are you a copper?" Another little boy asked.

I chuckled.

The Doctor smirked, "'Course I'm not a copper. What's a copper going to do with you lot? Arrest you for starving?"

The children laughed, which made me smile. It seemed like these kids probably didn't smile a whole lot with everything going on. I wondered if any of these kids were alive in my time… probably. That made me happy. They deserved to see the world in peace and prospering… well, for the most part at least. We've had a lot of tragedies in my lifetime, although, I guess that's always happening.

"You lot shouldn't even be in the country, its 1941; should've been evacuated by now," He continued.

"I was evacuated," One of the skinnier ones admitted. "Sent me to a farm."

"So why'd you come back?"

"There was a man there."

"Oh," I mumbled. "You poor thing."

"It's better on the streets anyways. Nancy always finds us the best food."

"So that's what you do is it, Nancy?" I asked. "I figured so."

"What is?" If looks could kill, her glare would have stabbed me.

"You find a big fat family meal, with everyone still down in the air raid shelter, and bingo, feeding frenzy for the homeless children of London," The Doctor spoke.

"Something wrong with that?" Nancy asked, still stern looking.

"Are you kidding me, it's–" The Doctor began, but I finished for him with an: "amazing."

"Why'd you follow me?" Nancy asked. "What do you want?"

"We need help," I said. "Please."

"Well more specifically, I need to know why a phone that isn't really a phone gets a phone call and judging by earlier, you seem to be the one to ask," The Doctor said.

"I did you a favor," Nancy insisted. "I told you not to answer it. That's all I'm telling you."

"Great, thanks," The Doctor said. "And, I want to find a blonde in a union jack. A specific one. I didn't just wake up this morning with a craving."

I cackled a bit at this although thankfully my embarrassing laughter was masked by the childrens'. The Doctor gave me an amused look.

"No bombs, no flags," Nancy said, taking The Doctor's plate that had two pieces of meat whilst the children's plates only had one. "Anything else?"

"We're looking for something that acts like a bomb but isn't," He pulled out a notepad and drew quickly onto it what we saw in orbit earlier that day, "Looks something like this."

Before anyone could say anything, there was a banging on the door.

"Mummy, are you in there?"

"It's the voice from earlier!" I gasped. "Oh my goodness."

I looked out the window with The Doctor. The poor child was wearing a gas mask; probably terrified of the bombs.

"We need to let him in," I insisted. "He might get hit if he's out there for long."

Nancy ran to close the door fully shut and The Doctor followed her.

"What's this then?" The Doctor asked. "Never easy being the only child left out in the cold, yknow."

"It's not exactly a child," Nancy said. She ran back into the dining room, "Alright everyone out. Across the backyard and under the fence."

They did as she said and ran out, her following in pursuit before stopping in front of us.

"You musn't let him touch you."

"What happens if he touches us?" I started hyperventilating. This nightmare felt way too real.

"He'll make you like him," She said, giving me a thoughtful look.

"And what's he like?" I asked, my head dizzy.

She didn't answer.

"Nancy, what is he like?" The Doctor insisted.

"Empty."

What followed were phones ringing and a music box playing amongst other things.

"That's how he made the police box ring," Nancy explained. "He can do things like that."

All of the noises sent me into a shock and I fell to the ground, hugging me knees while The Doctor inspected everything.

"You can stay here if you want to," Nancy said before escaping out the back door.

The next thing that I know, The Doctor is sitting next to me on the ground.

"Everything is okay, Anne, he's gone," The Doctor said. "Just breathe. In and out. Very slowly. But steady. Follow my breaths."

It took me a few minutes of following his breaths before I opened my eyes again.

"Sorry," I said. "I'm a bit of a mess. Not exactly good to have on an adventure."

"You'll adapt," The Doctor patted my back reassuringly. He stood up, holding out his hand. I took it, standing with him.

Did I want to adapt though? Would I really want to go with them on another adventure? If the next was half as scary as this one, no. I'd rather my monotonous life than life threatening adventures on the daily. I mean, I could go to a university and get a real degree and it would be splendid. Or would it?

"Do you ever get a day off?" I asked.

"Sometimes," He shrugged. "But what's the fun in that? Although, I will admit, sometimes it is nice to just pick a planet and have it not be in mortal peril. It happens sometimes. Just ask Rose; we found a planet full of sunny beaches. Never has had a war. Brilliant planet, that one. Perhaps I'll take you there one day, if you'd like."

"Perhaps," I smiled. "Although, Doc, I live by an ocean. I could just go home to see a beach that's not in mortal peril. Honestly, I'd love to just see London. Well, not this London. My London; well, the London from my time, I mean."

He laughed, "Humans. You give them the opportunity to go anywhere and they choose the dullest of places."

"Oi, you better watch your tongue, now let's go find Rose," I insisted, dragging him out the back door.

"Anne, we have to find Nancy first," He said, pulling me in a specific direction. "And judging by these dirt tracks, I think I might have a clue of which direction she ran off to.

I followed him, although I was worried, "Will Rose be alright?"

"Well, she is one to get herself into trouble, especially in these types of places," The Doctor said. "But I have faith. She hasn't died yet."

"Oh, how encouraging," I muttered.

It didn't take us long to end up near train tracks, "She should be right up here. Aha, come along."

We found her outside of a small metal hut, looking startled.

"How'd you find me here?"

"I'm good at following," He said, smiling. "Got the nose for it."

"People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to," Nancy said.

"My nose has special powers," He retorted, still beaming at her.

It's like he treated this like a game. I wondered if he acted this calm in every situation or if this was just a calm normal everyday stroll in the park for him. I wondered if he ever got angry or actually acted serious. Although, looking back, when my life was in danger he wasn't as giddy as he was standing before me now. So perhaps in dire situations, he acted like the adult he was. That was good enough in my book, although it still irked me how he frolicked this town like it was his playhouse.

Nancy smirked, "Yeah, that's why it's so…" She trailed off.

I snickered.

"What?"

"Nothing," She actually smiled. She was really pretty when she smiled. She looked so young. I wondered how she remained so human in a time like this. I would've gone berserk and locked myself in the basement had a war gone on for this long.

I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore.

"What?" He turned to me this time.

"Nothing," I laughed out.

"Do your ears have special powers too?" Nancy asked and I almost lost it crying. She couldn't hold back laughter either at the sight of mine.

"What are you trying to say?" He seemed confused, but also seemed like he was finally getting it.

"Goodnight, the two of you," She smiled and turned away.

"Wait," I begged.

"Nancy," The Doctor's voice turned colder, but not rude. It made her stop. "There's something chasing you and the other kids. It's a boy, but it's not a boy."

"Did it start around a month ago?" I asked. "Perhaps around the time of when the ship landed that we're looking for."

She looked at us thoughtfully, "There was a bomb… a bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell at the other end of the station."

"Please show us," I insisted. I really wanted to solve this little fuss so that we could find The Doctor's friend. It wasn't right to just leave her out there frolicking by her lonesome.

"Can't," She sighed. "Guards all around it. You sure you want to know what's going on in there?"

"I really want to know," The Doctor said while I remained silent.

Did I want to know? This felt so overwhelming. It definitely wasn't even a nightmare. This had to be real but how? Time travel was a story of fairytales. At least it was where I came from. Not even our greatest scientists discovered it; I mean, for crying out loud Elon Musk just discovered the damn electric car not a decade ago. He'd be floored if he knew that such a simple minded girl like me made my way all the way to the damn London Blitz.

"Then there's someone you need to talk to first," She said.

"And who might that be?" The Doctor asked.

She hesitated.

"Please, Nancy," I said, giving her a soft smile. I knew I'd be much more panicked if I were here. She was brilliant for coping with everything by wearing a hard face.

"The Doctor," She admitted before leaving us.

"Doctor, she doesn't mean you, does she?" I asked. "I mean, have you been here before? Or, I don't know how time travel works… will you be here later, do you think?"

He shook his head, "I wouldn't cross my own time line unless absolutely necessary. No, I have not been here before. At least not yet. And let's hope, for both of our sake, that it's not me that we find."

"Wait, Doctor," I said, realizing our mistake.

"Yes?"

"She never told us where The Doctor resides."

We both ran off in the direction she was heading in calling out: "Nancy!"

"What now?" She sighed, turning her attention to us. "I've things to get to."

"Oh I'm sure you do, the bombs and all, but you never did tell us, Nancy," The Doctor said.

"Tell you what?" She asked, looking at us expectantly.

"Where exactly is this doctor?" He asked.

She looked like she wanted to roll her eyes but seemed much to polite for that, instead showing a bit of a grin, "Come on, follow me, but be quiet."

We followed her to the side of a hill that was closed off my barbed wire.

"There, that's the sight they're trying to protect, but if you look a ways out, there's the hospital," She said. "Or what's left of it anyways. Take that path. You'll get there."

"Now I'm more interested in getting in there," The Doctor said, inspecting the barbed sight with spectacles.

"Talk to the doctor first," She insisted.

"Why?" I asked, The Doctor to entranced.

"Because then maybe you won't want to get inside," She said.

She started to walk away, before The Doctor stopped her by asking where she was going.

"There was a lot of food in that house," She said, swinging her basket, clearly distressed. "I've got mouths to feed. Should be safe enough now."

"I wish I could help," I said to her, feeling so bad for the life she'd been forced to adapt to.

I wondered where her parents were. I was never well off just me and mother but we never went hungry and I always got most of the things I wanted, even if we did have to move from apartment to apartment pretty often. Never getting a nice studio in Paris like our aunt, like my mother dreamed. Although I guess we'd be at that nice studio now with our aunt. Although her apartment was more like a castle in comparison. It was beautiful. I was somewhat thrilled at the idea of going back and telling them of my adventure… but I probably couldn't without being locked away. Although mother would probably believe me… if I was able to convince her right. She always believed me; even when she shouldn't have.

"It's alright," She smiled. "I'm just glad they have someone."

"Nancy, who did you lose?" The Doctor asked, seemingly randomly.

"Doctor, that's rude," I muttered.

"What?" Nancy asked.

He turned to us, putting his spectacles down: "The way you look after all those kids… who did you lose?"

"My little brother, Jamie," She admitted. "One night, I went out looking for food; same night that thing fell. I told him not to follow me; I told him it was dangerous but he just didn't want to be alone."

"What happened?" I asked.

"In the middle of an air raid, of course the worst," She looked at me. I was surprised she could retell such a story without tears. I felt bad that we'd made her think about it although she probably thought about him constantly.

It wasn't long after that I became distracted by the sight in front of us. I did that a lot; I wondered if it was a coping mechanism for stress. I wasn't particularly stressed about whatever ship we were hunting for or about meeting this mysterious doctor, but rather for Rose. I hoped she was alright, wherever she ended up. The Doctor seemed so assured that she'd just gone off for a stroll in the middle of the Blitz but I knew if I were her, I'd be scared shitless if I were lost and alone. Hopefully she'd found shelter with a nice family that took her in; maybe the union jack would be a good thing – show people she was fond of the Queen. Although, I guess if the wrong people found her… I wondered why I'd grown so fond of her in such little time, but perhaps it was because she was like me. A bit louder, although I could be obnoxious around people I knew, but down to earth and real. The Doctor didn't seem real. He seemed like a fairytale man living in his fairytale world. He sounded like a story I'd grow to tell my children; that is, if I ever had children. Would I ever have children? Would I want children? What if something like this were to happen in my future? Would The Doctor be willing to tell me? Maybe. If he showed me the past, I'm sure he'd show me the future. But that begs the question.

Would they want me around after this? Would I be a value to the team or a burden? Was one companion enough for the lone wolf that the leather jacketed man seemed to be? So many questions, none I was able to even fathom answering myself.

"Come along, Anne," The Doctor grabbed my hand. "We have to go see this doctor."

I turned to face him, "Oh, where did Nancy go?"

"Off to feed the children of ole' London town, of course!" He beamed and we walked off to find gates that lead to the hospital.

"There's a lock," I picked it up within my hands, seeing it maybe a bobby pin would work to pick it.

"Here, I've got it," He pulled out his sonic.

I grinned, pulling a bobby pin out of my pocket, "Oi, magic man, let me try first."

"Magic man?"

"You and your little magic device," I commented. "Y'know we should go to the dark ages. They'll lock you up for witchcraft with that little screwdriver of yours. How's it work any-how?"

"It's sonic," He explained.

"Sonic?" I asked.

_Almost got it…._

"It is able to do things, I suppose, like magic," He explained.

"Hmm, interesting, well so is this bobby pin, you're welcome," I said, undoing the lock and tossing it to the ground.

"Brilliant," He said, opening the seemingly pretty heavy gates himself.

"I wonder why she told us to come see the doctor," I said as we walked up to the hospital.

"I wonder why the hospital is locked up like this," He mused.

"Guess we're about to find out," I said. "I'll race you."

"Oh, you sure will, but you won't win," He said, bracing to run.

"I ran track in high school," I stuck my tongue out.

"I've been running all my life," He winked.

"On your mark," I began.

"Get set," He continued.

"Go!"

We both darted up to the doors as fast as we could.

"Ugh, no fair," I huffed, folding my arms across my chest.

"Oh, so fair," He said, smiling at his victory, opening the doors.

"Why's it so dark in here?" I asked, hushing my tone out of nervousness. "It's kind of eerie."

"I'm not sure," The Doctor replied methodically, looking around as we walked through the corridor.

The hallway was lit, giving me some hope that the doctor that Nancy spoke of was here. But why was he here? Where were the patients? The nurses? Reception? Staff? We walked into another room and I nearly jumped, gasping. All of them; they looked like the boy. They wore gas masks and were lying in bed. Were they dead? Did they die the same fate that Nancy's poor brother did? Why were they still wearing their masks? Surely someone would've removed them. Surely if they were dead, someone would've at least covered them, right? I mean I was no historian but it seemed like a common practice to _at least_ cover them in a quilt or sheet or something.

Before we managed to trek much farther, an old man in a lab coat hobbled into the room.

"You'll find them everywhere. Every bed in every ward. Hundreds of them."

I guess I hadn't noticed, but based on The Doctor's response, I suppose he had.

"Yes, I saw them," He said.

"Um, why are they still wearing gas masks?" I asked.

"They're not," He looked me dead in the eyes, getting closer to us. "Who are you?"

"I'm um, are you the doctor?"

"Doctor Constantine, and you are?"

"Nancy sent me," He said, avoiding the question. I kept quiet.

"Nancy," He said fondly, walking past us over to a seat. "That means you've been asking about the bomb."

I walked over to one of the patients, a bit afraid but trying to be brave. I needed to be brave if I ever wanted to do something as stupid as travel with this man again.

"Yes."

"What do you know of it?" Constantine asked.

"Nothing, that's why I was asking," He replied. "What do you know?"

"Only what it's done," I turned to look at him, shocked.

"They were caught in the blast? Is that what you reckon made them like this?" I asked.

"None of them were," He coughed out, sitting down. The Doctor looked like he wanted to help but the man's pride seemed to get to him as he shooed him away.

"You seem pretty ill, sir," I noted.

"Dying, I should think, I just haven't had the time," He joked through his coughing spasm. "Are you two doctors?"

"No, not me, just him," I chuckled nervously.

"Have you examined any of them yet?"

"No, I haven't."

"_Don't touch the flesh_."

My mind spazzed. Had I touched any of them? I didn't know. I truly, truly hoped not. But now I was second guessing myself. Why shouldn't we touch them? What would happen?

"Why?" I asked.

"You'll become them," He said, darkly.

I tried to control my breathing in the best manner I could and hugged my arms around myself. he Doctor had already went over, using his sonic to scan one of them.

"Conclusions?"

"Massive head trauma, mostly to the left side. Partial collapse to the chest cavity, mostly to the right. Scarring on the back of the hand and the gas mask seems to be fused to the flesh, but I can't see any burns," The Doctor said.

"Scan another one."

The Doctor ran over to another one a few feet away and began scanning, "This is impossible."

"Examine another."

Once again, The Doctor darted to another, this one on the opposite side of the room next to where I was standing.

"This is impossible," He looked so confused and frustrated.

"No," Constantine remarked.

"They've all got the same injuries!"

"Yes."

"Exactly the same."

"Yes."

"Identical. All of them, right down to the scar on the back of the hand."

I saw Constantine's eyes drop down to his hand, mine followed. I panicked a bit, although internally. I didn't want to raise suspicion. I could tell he wasn't a bad guy and if I told The Doctor he might panic as well and we needed whatever information we could get out of him before… whatever happened that would turn him into them. It felt so eerie, so unreal. But it was real. And I was living it from the front row seat.

"How did this happen?" The Doctor asked. "How did it start?"

"When that bomb dropped there was just one victim," He explained.

The boy. The boy who kept following us. But who was he. Nancy said she had a little brother, but there was no way, was there?

"Dead," The Doctor said.

"At first," Constantine said. "His injuries were truly dreadful, but by the following morning, every doctor and nurse who had treated him, who had touched him, had those exact same injuries. By the morning after that, every patient in the same ward. Within a week, the whole hospital. Physical injuries as plague. Can you explain that? What would you say was the cause of death?"

"The head trauma?" The Doctor asked.

"No, you, girl?" He asked, looking at me.

"Um, asphyxiation?" I was just throwing words out there, honestly.

I wasn't a med student, I was more of an artist who dabbled in things she shouldn't. And when I say things she shouldn't I'm referring to the fact that I used to sell people Twinkies in school even though candy wasn't allowed. I made bank, though, and summer of my sophomore year I was able to see the Eiffel Tower with Carly and Roesia because of it. Although, I eventually got caught and almost got expelled. Although, my aunt was a lawyer so they kept me instead of dealing with a lawsuit.

"No, there wasn't a cause," Constantine said simply. "They're not dead."

He banged a trash bin next to him, causing each gas masked individual to sit up in their bunks. I would be lying if I said I didn't pee a little; thankfully, I was wearing dark wash. I did yelp pretty loudly though, retreating closer to The Doctor.

"I want to go home," I muttered under my breath.

The Doctor patted my shoulder reassuringly, as Constantine said: "Don't worry, they're harmless. They just sort of sit there. No heartbeat, no life signs of any kind. They just don't die."

"And they've just been left here?" The Doctor seemed annoyed. "Nobody's doing anything?"

"I try and make them comfortable, what else is there?" Constantine sighed.

"He has a point, Doctor," I said. "I mean, what would you do?"

"Try to figure out what's going on, that's what I'd do," The Doctor said.

Constantine was looking rather pale at this point, coughing pretty loudly.

I tried to go over to help him when he said: "Stay back, please."

"Doctor, his hand," I mumbled, assuming that he was going to change. I cowered a bit behind the man who stood a decent few inches taller than me, afraid of what was to come.

"Listen to me, top floor, room eight oh two," Constantine began. "That's where they took the first victim. The one from the crash site. And you must find Nancy again."

"Nancy?" We both asked in unison.

"Yes it was her brother," He said. "She knows more than she's saying. She won't tell me, but she's –"

He cut off, sounding like he was choking as something appeared to be inching its way onto his face. I cowered even more behind The Doctor, not wanting to look.

"Mum… mummy," He cried out.

I could feel tears falling down my cheek and that's how I knew I was crying.

"Doctor, he's dying, what do we do?" I cried.

"He's not dying, we will figure this out Anne," He tried to reassure.

I tried to control my breathing but tears still fell down my face. The next time I looked up, his face was equipped with a gas mask and his head was rolling a bit downwards as though his neck didn't care to support it. The Doctor gave him a soft, sad look before grabbing my arm, turning to leave.


End file.
